Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-07-12
nEr. pnyis EnterrieMcd.

The Baltimore, Herald published q six
column article giving recent interviews
with Hon. Jefferson Davis. In these inter
views Mr.. Davis charges that the Federal
Government conspired during the late war
to have him assassiaated. On this subject
Mr. Davis says
while the Confederate Government was
! at Montgomery, Ala, in 1861, l received an
anonymous letter from Philadelphia, the
substance of which was that the Governor
of Pennsylvania had released = noted des-
perado from the penitentiary upon the con-
dition that nc would so to Montgomery and
assassnate me, with the promise ola reward
| Of 800, 900 if he succeeded; that after release
the man said that ne probably could not
succeed alone, and gave the name OF another
convict o. character like his own, with
| whose assistance he felt sure Of success and
the second convict was released 10 accom-.
pany the first.
"About the time his letter was received |
was going from my Office to my residence,
when observed man squatting down by
the brick wall, whch was about three feet
high, and upon which the paing Of the
ward rested Walking rapidly, had gone
but 81 few steps before the position OF this
man so impressed me as induced me TO 90
aud look after him. Then, walking back
toward the corner Of the fence behind
which he was crouchi@g, | saw him look
| ing over the wall toward the gate through
| which | was expected to enter, but as
reached the corner he jumped up and ran
! toward the rear of the lot upon which my
residence stood, where there was an alley.
| followed him rapidly, but when | had
reached the alley he had disappeared.
The only way in which he could
have escaped appeared to be through
"A gate which led into my stable;
thither | went and found my servant
in the loft throwing down hay who,
upon inquiry, denied that anybody had
coIne there He was a servant had raised,
in whom, as | afterward learned, had mis-
placed confidence. Accepting his statement
as true, and making truitless search else
where, the hunt was abandoned. But the
| warning received was not forgotten. The
Commissary. General Col! Northrop my
friend and old army comrade, soon thereai-
ter went with me by rail to Richmond, and
| was on the alert during the whole trip for
the reappearance Of tho assassin.
II sent the anonymous letter TO William
B. Reed, of Philadelphia, asking him to
make such inquiry as would verify or dis
prove It's allegations. If he ever replied |
do not know, as communications were
closed soon after that.
"While in Richmond it was my habit TO
ride out often in the afternoon TO visit the
defensive works we were constructing
around the capital. On one occasion, ac-
compsnied BY my aide, COL William Pres.
r LoI r,I Eiliic
Creek and was going up the hill when a
rifle bali whiZzed Just behind me and in
front of Col Johnston, who was riding by
my side u little in the rear Warning him
10 seem as if nothing had occurred we rode
rapidly around an unoccupied house from
which it was thought the shot must have
| been fired, and from which we could dis.
tinctly see the ground over which any one
must have fled if after firing he had taken
to flight No one was visible. After re.
turning to the city in the evening, Col.
Johnston went to the Provost Marshal, who
sent out some men more skill:ul than we
had been 10 make further search in the
house.
"They found in the upper story some
panks cut out of the floor so that they could
be removed, and underneath that found a
man with rifle, who gave q lame account
of himself as hiding there to avoid conscrip-
ton. His story of being employed at %
bakery in the city was found.tO be, upon in
ouirv, uufounded The next morning was
notified that the man, with a liberal retainer
in gold had employed lawyer to sue out a
writ of habeas corpus. Aware that, though
the circumstan;ial evidence might produce
moral conviction, ne would probably be dis
charged in compliance with the writ, and
that as the man was of proper age and phys
ical vigor for soldier, directed him TO be
sent to Gen. Lee. at Petersburg, with an ex-
planatory note, and the hope that he would
be put in the front line to stop 3 ball intend
cd for a better man What became of him [
never learned matters oflarger Importance
enerossed the attention OF Gen. Lee as well
as of myself.
"On another occasion, returning from an
afternoon ride with my aide, Col. Joseph
Z. Davis. lust as we entered the suburbs OF
Richmond a shot was fired from behind Il
high garden wall at very close range, but
without effect. | rode up to the wall, and
by rising in my stirrups looked over into
The garden, but no person could he seen. 1t
was twilight, and the shrubDery afforded
some means of concealment and escape.
There were many reasons before the
Dahlgren raid for believing that efforts in
consistent with the rules of war as practised
by civiised nations were made 10 secure as.
sassination especially of the President. and
10 ACQUIRE information by spies resident and
transitory, and that large rewards We're OF,
fered for such services, including arson and
murder.
"On one occasion, when was known &c
be travelling on railroad to the army, in
formation was brought by lady, who had
overheard the conversation in q barn, that
obstructions were to De placed on the track
nnd Tic ir,fnrnatinn rras verified by q de-